


Arrow Season 6 Episode 12

by Actually_Felicity_Smoak



Category: Arrow (TV 2012)
Genre: Emotional Intelligence, I'm really not claiming this is any good I just had to get it out of my head, Rogue Therapist (OC), Self-Insert
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-03
Updated: 2018-02-03
Packaged: 2019-03-12 21:33:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,609
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13556013
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Actually_Felicity_Smoak/pseuds/Actually_Felicity_Smoak
Summary: This was a weird idea that I bounced around with one of my friends, based on the times I want to just shake a character and smack some common sense into them. The thought was to do a, just a terrible self-insert where I can say what I want to say and make it work out the way I want.  So here it is.





	Arrow Season 6 Episode 12

**Author's Note:**

> This was a weird idea that I bounced around with one of my friends, based on the times I want to just shake a character and smack some common sense into them. The thought was to do a, just a terrible self-insert where I can say what I want to say and make it work out the way I want. So here it is.

"I am going to kill every one of them. Starting with her."

A figure stepped out of the shadows, and placed itself between Oliver and Dinah. "OK."

Oliver stopped himself -- barely -- from snatching the person away from Dinah and snapping their neck. "Who the hell--" he began, at the same time as Dinah said, "What?"

"I said, 'OK'" the newcomer replied. She reached over and flipped on a light switch. As Dinah looked on in confusion, she clarified. "You want to kill them all, and you won't be talked out of it. I understand how you're feeling. Your decision makes sense."

"Look, I don't know who you are, but --" Oliver began, then took a step back as the interloper turned with fire in her eyes and stepped aggressively towards him.

"Shove it, Oliver. You haven't got a leg to stand on and you damn well know it. Now I will get the best possible outcome out of this for you, but I need you to leave me the hell alone while I'm doing it."

She paused, clearly waiting for a response, but all Oliver could come up with was, "Wha--? How...?"

"So, you can sit here -- _quietly_ \-- or you can go back you your lair, and Dinah will be along when we're finished here. But what you _may not_ do is interrupt me. Are we clear?"

"Uh --" he shook his head. "I'm sorry. Who are you? And how did you get in her house?"

"I'm the Rogue Therapist. I can get anywhere I need to and have whatever I need available in order to make sure someone's emotional needs are being met. I'm sorry I haven't been along to help you before but -- let's be real -- if I were to start in with you I wouldn't have any time for any other clients, would I?" She gave him a smile. He blinked.

"And you're going to... what?"

"I'm going to arrange the best possible outcome, given what we have available."

"And that involves what? Can you take away Cayden James' bomb? Can you re-open the highways?"

She sighed. "Alas, no. I don't do bombs or hacking or even terribly good archery." She shrugged. "But I do what I can. Are you going to be able to help Dinah feel better? Can you fix her problems or lessen her pain?"

Oliver glared at her a moment before he dropped his eyes. "No."

"Bombs are your job. Emotional intelligence is mine." She studied him before saying gently, "I'm not asking you to _trust_ me, Oliver. I'm just asking that, any time you think about interfering, you ask yourself, 'Do I think I can handle emotion-based conversations better or worse than any random person on the street? Now --" she tilted her head towards Dinah's couch. "Have a seat." 

She turned back to Dinah. "Do you perhaps have some tea? I would love a cup right now."

Dinah blinked. "Um. Yeah. This way." She led her -- it was easiest to think of the woman as a guest -- into the kitchen.

"Lovely. And a kettle, brilliant. And where would I find mugs?"

While Dinah looked on, the woman bustled about the kitchen, putting water on to boil and preparing two mugs. "Ooh, lavender rose!" she exlaimed, looking through Dinah's cupboard. "Is that good for you?" she asked, looking over her shoulder, "Or do you want something stronger right now?"

Dinah shook her head mutely, and soon found herself seated at the kitchen table with her hands wrapped around a steaming mug of lavender tea, facing a woman she'd never seen before, who was holding her own mug and looking at Dinah sympathetically. Dinah supposed she should be upset, or confused, but right now the sympathy was more important to her. 

"Did you mean it? When you said you were OK with me killing them all? You're not going to try to talk me out of it?" 

The woman sighed and set down her mug. "Whether or not I agree with you, it's your decision to make. I understand why you feel that way, and I'm not going to try to claim you don't have a right. Of course I wish I could advise you to trust the courts, trust the process, but we both know that if that was an option, this would never have happened in the first place. So no. I'm not going to try to talk you out of it." She waited for Dinah's acknowledgement before continuing. "I _am_ going to ask you to consider some points that you may not have, in your pursuit of that quest."

Dinah looked rebellious, and the Rogue Therapist held up her hands in a gesture of surrender. "I'm not going to tell you what to do! The decision is still yours. I just want to make sure you're maximizing your effectiveness here."

Dinah hesitated, but finally she took a sip of her tea. "Go on," she growled. 

The Rogue Therapist leaned forward. "First. While I certainly understand your desire to deal personally with the person who did the actual killing, you must agree that Cayden James is the problem here. I'm _not saying_ " she rushed on as Dinah glared, "that you should take her off your hit list. If you can get to everyone, great. But in terms of priorities, she's not as big a deal as he is. She killed on his orders. She has not killed anywhere near as many people as he has. And --" she looked Dinah in the eye, "-- Vince wasn't risking his life to take down Laurel Lance. He was working undercover, putting his life on the line -- he resisted torture for _hours_ \-- because he believed that taking down Cayden James was worth it. You owe it to him to finish that job. Complete the task he gave his life for, _then_ avenge his death." 

Dinah sighed, but nodded acquiescence. 

"Along those lines," the other woman continued. "you have a responsibility to do this as effectively as possible. To pursue the path that is most likely to result in your actually finishing this job." 

Dinah nodded, and the Rogue Therapist raised her eyebrows. "And that means getting help with it. The best help you have available." 

She paused and waited until Dinah's nods turned into narrowed eyes. "I am NOT working with --"

"Really?" the Rogue Therapist interrupted. "Even if it's the only way to fulfill your mission? Even if it's the only way to ensure that Vince didn't die in vain?" 

Dinah sat back angrily. The other woman continued earnestly. "Look, I'm not asking you to like Oliver Queen. He's kind of a dick. He's stubborn and temperamental and terrible at teamwork. But he's also _effective._ I'm not asking you to like working with him; I'm only asking you to work with him. Not _under_ him. But not against him. There is not benefit to fighting him as well as your enemies -- except to your enemies." She raised her eyebrows until Dinah nodded grudgingly. 

"Anything else?" Dinah's expression was frustrated, but her tone was level; she knew good advice when she heard it. 

The Rogue Therapist leaned back. "One more." She took a deep breath, and picked up her mug. "One of my friends says, 'Anger is like gasoline. It can fuel a lot of things, but you sure shouldn't leave it lying around the house.' And that's one of the things Oliver handles badly: he gets pissed off, and then he's making decisions out of anger rather than out of reasoned self-interest." Dinah nodded ruefully. The other continued, "I'm not saying don't be angry. Anger is the perfect response to this situation. But don't let Cayden James turn you into Oliver. You're a smart woman, and you have infinitely more common sense than your enemy, and you can outthink them if you keep your head, and use your anger as a fuel rather than as an excuse not to strategize." 

Dinah was nodding thoughtfully now. "That.... yeah." She looked up and gave a small smile. "Will do. Thanks." 

The Rogue Therapist stood up and picked up her mug. "You got this." She held out her fist; Dinah tapped it lightly with her own. Then the mug was in the sink and a figure was making her way out of the kitchen and back into the shadows of the living room. 

She was almost back into the shadows by the doorway -- for some reason she always had to disappear at the same point from which she had appeared -- when Oliver Queen grabbed her arm. She turned to face him, looked down at his hand, and back up to his face. He dropped her arm and stepped back, but his glare didn't let up. "You call that the best possible outcome?"

"Given what I had to work with? Yes, I do." 

"She's still planning on killing everyone in her path!"

"No, only the ones related to Cayden James and/or evil Laurel. Which is a massive improvement."

"Vengeance isn't going to make this better!" 

"I agree, but there's no talking her out of it tonight. At least now you and she have the same top priority. And she's willing to work with your team, which means there's a chance of slowly talking her down. I recommend you make sure she spends a lot of time with Digg, over the next few weeks." 

"I heard what you said about me. Why should I listen to anything you have to say?" 

"Because you value truth over flattery." She shrugged. "Anything I said that you feel was untrue, feel free to disregard. Good evening, Mr. Queen." 

She stepped into the shadows and disappeared.


End file.
